‘The best decision’: Fredonia defends two-week spring break
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As the Fredonia Central School District heads into its two-week spring break Monday, the district held a discussion at the most recent Board of Education meeting on the topic moving forward.
Board of Education member Lisa Powell Fortna raised the issue as the district discussed next school year's calendar. She highlighted how most schools only have one week off in the spring, and another week during February, where Fredonia has one extended break during the spring. The Dunkirk City School district also holds a two-week spring break, but most other surrounding districts are aligned in splitting the break apart.
"We're an outlier here, and it's important to reaffirm that we still want to be an outlier -- that this is still the best decision for our students," Fortna said.
Zilliox, citing his prior experience as a secondary education teacher and administrator, highlighted how the time period right before and right after a break are less productive instruction days. Zilliox said in speaking with elementary school teachers, those beliefs were reaffirmed.
"When I talk with teachers at either Wheelock or the Elementary School ... one of the things they come back to is, from winter break to spring break is the time of year they make the most progress, because generally, they have large periods of uninterrupted time. They feel like students really get in a groove," Zilliox said. "As one teacher said to me, 'That's when we put the hay in the barn.' ... If you put a week in the middle of that, that disrupts that energy that builds over that period of time."
Dr. Margie Wright, Chief Officer for Curriculum and Human Resources at Fredonia, agreed with the two-week break for the reasons Zilliox stated.
"The difference I've seen from an elementary perspective -- with the continuity of instruction, not being interrupted -- is tremendous," Wright said.
Wright highlighted all of the breaks throughout the year and the challenges they bring to keeping students productive and focused all year.
"All of those breaks, particularly for the younger ones, are a re-acclimation to school," Wright said. "... The social and emotional learning to have the continuity is really important with routines."
Wright also highlighted that because of the extended spring break, less families are taking their students out of school the week prior to spring break for extended vacations or trips at a reduced cost, because most schools have the same week off for spring break.
Fortna later responded, "Why doesn't anybody else want to put the hay in the barn?"
Board of Education Vice President Steve Johnston also questioned the habits of other districts. Johnston said, "That's always been my point of contention. Why doesn't BOCES do it?"
Fortna asked, "Is that a flag we need to carry with BOCES? If there is so much value in it, then why has it dwindled to two districts?"
Zilliox noted there are pros and cons to each way of scheduling, but he believes that the majority of the district is aligned in the desire for a two-week spring break.
Moving forward, a two-week spring break is anticipated for the 2023-24 school year.